


Heal

by makoheadrush



Category: Compilation of Final Fantasy VII, Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII
Genre: A/S/G friendship, Hurt and comfort, Wee bit of angst, friendship fic, slight butchering of canon and timelines
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-24
Updated: 2018-12-24
Packaged: 2019-09-25 23:15:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,468
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17130545
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/makoheadrush/pseuds/makoheadrush
Summary: Written for Sephykins, who requested a story where Angeal and Sephiroth talk about their feelings.  I wasn't entirely sure whether to make this a pairing or a friendship fic, but then Genesis invited himself to the party, and a friendship fic was born.  Snapshot of the timeframe in Crisis Core after Genesis is injured during a VR exercise, then exhibits difficulty in healing.  Angeal and Sephiroth know something is quite wrong with Genesis, but they don't know what.  The three friends and comrades draw together, leaning on one another for support.Thank you for the prompt, Sephykins, and I hope you like this story!





	Heal

**Author's Note:**

  * For [SethSuffers](https://archiveofourown.org/users/SethSuffers/gifts).



The sun crept over the Midgar horizon, lighting the low-hanging clouds of ever-present smog and slowly warming the air.  Angeal had already been up for an hour prior to sunrise, working out alone in the SOLDIER training area.  He felt uncharacteristically anxious and a bit on edge, a hollow feeling sinking into his chest. Genesis’ absence was a tangible sensation – Angeal almost felt as though he were missing a limb with his friend no longer there.    He and Genesis had their regular routine on a Saturday morning – sparring, interval training and weightlifting, capped off by a run around the track on the SOLDIER training floor.  Sometimes Sephiroth would join them, and the trio would grab breakfast together after their routines were done.

This would not be a typical Saturday, however, with Genesis out of commission.  He’d been sequestered in the infirmary ever since he’d been injured during the spar with Sephiroth.  “Just a scratch” he’d told them both, but Angeal and Sephiroth both knew it was something beyond a scratch.  After Sephiroth’s masamune broke through skin, Genesis couldn’t even keep eye contact with either one of the other two Firsts.   He mumbled under his breath, quickly excusing himself – he was embarrassed.  At the time, Angeal was certain the wound to Genesis’ pride was greater than the one to his arm.

As the days drew by, Angeal began to realize that perhaps Genesis was pretty badly off.  Or, perhaps there was something Hollander wasn’t _telling_ them. 

Angeal wondered briefly if Sephiroth felt the same sense that something was just not quite right with their world – an unshakable sensation of incompleteness.   After a brisk shower, Angeal decided to seek him out.  At times, tracking Sephiroth down took some doing in a building the size of Shinra Headquarters, over seventy stories tall as it was.  Sephiroth did, of course, cut a striking and noticeable figure with his long quicksilver hair and massive sword.  Angeal had made his way down to the infirmary floor when he finally caught up with Sephiroth.

“Angeal,” Sephiroth called out in pleasant greeting.  “I was just about to visit Genesis – unless he’s still being quarantined….Have you heard anything?”

“Nothing yet,”  Angeal admitted.   “I came by last night, had dinner with him – “

“Oh?”   Sephiroth quirked a brow, his interest suddenly piqued.   “How did he seem to you?”  Sephiroth, as always, appeared guarded with every syllable, carefully weighing his question – even though there was no real need to be careful with his words, Angeal was a close friend and comrade at this point. 

“Irritable, and morose.”  Angeal bit back a grim-looking smirk.   “Well – I suppose it’s understandable.  Genesis is confined to the infirmary until further notice.  I was hoping to speak with Hollander to get a status update – “

“As was I,”  Sephiroth murmured, just as a shadow fell across the frosted glass pane of the infirmary door.   “Professor Hollander,”  Sephiroth continued, as the door opened and Hollander strode out.   “How is he doing?”

“Genesis is resting at the moment,” Hollander began, a slight frown working as he spoke.   “I’ve given him a tranquilizer, he was quite agitated.”  At this, Angeal immediately stepped forward, his massive frame shadowing Hollander and taking up much of the entryway. 

“We _need_ to see him, Professor,” Angeal spoke politely yet firmly.  He was disappointed, yet not entirely surprised, when the reply he received was a slow head-shake from Hollander, murmuring ‘no’.

“Now is not a good time, I’m afraid,” Hollander countered.   “Genesis needs time to heal, to recover.  He’ll be needing a transfusion – “

Sephiroth stepped forward at this, extending his arm outward and gesturing.  “Then why not me? I’d gladly be a donor, Professor.”

“No, no, no, we can’t _do_ that, Sephiroth,” Hollander replied, still shaking his head sadly.  “You…. are not compatible.  Now, if you’ll excuse me – “The scientist abruptly turned and left, leaving the two Firsts puzzled and full of questions.

“Not…. compatible?”  Sephiroth’s face fell as he turned to Angeal, his expression questioning.  “How is that even possible?  We’re all SOLDIER, aren’t we?  And,” he continued, “I should be a universal blood donor.  I heard Hojo once mentioning my blood type.  Although, that was many years before…”

  “We are all SOLDIER, but….”  Angeal replied slowly, frowning, trying to puzzle out Hollander’s response himself.   He glanced briefly at the retreating figure of Hollander, now a shadow behind the frosted glass windowpane of the door.  “I don’t know what he meant either, Sephiroth.”

“I do not understand,” Sephiroth continued, shaking his head.  “Why couldn’t I be the donor?”    Angeal shrugged his shoulders, looking perplexed as well. 

“Well, we won’t accomplish much here just standing in the corridor,” Angeal remarked dryly.  “Come…we’ll return later, after Genesis has had a chance to rest.”

“Mm,” Sephiroth concurred with a murmur.   They walked several yards, then Sephiroth paused in his step, glancing back toward the infirmary door.

“I feel responsible, Angeal.  It was _my_ blade that caused his injury.”

“You can’t blame yourself for this, Sephiroth,” Angeal made his best attempt to sound supportive and comforting.  “Genesis goaded you.  He goaded both of us.  I got a fireball to the _face_ , for all my efforts to talk him down,” he added with a chuckle.

“True,” Sephiroth agreed with a soft smile, although Angeal’s words did little to assuage his guilt.   _What could I have done differently?_   he wondered.   _What can I do to set things right?_

* * *

 

Hours passed, and in the interim, Sephiroth and Angeal had retreated to their respective offices to finish out the day’s paperwork – standard reports of drill routines, and progress reports on the latest crop of SOLDIER hopefuls.   They worked in relative and companionable silence until Angeal finally stood up to stretch, yawning widely as he did so.

“Care to take a break?”  Angeal asked Sephiroth casually.  “We could swing by the infirmary again, pop in to see if Genesis is up to having any visitors – “

Sephiroth was at his feet in an instant.   “Yes.  I’ve finished anyway.  Let’s go now,” he replied, an air of impatience coloring his tone.  This time, when they arrived at the infirmary, Hollander was not there to intercept them, and they entered sick bay without so much as a second glance from the nurse on duty.

Genesis’s appearance alarmed both Sephiroth and Angeal.  In the short span of just a few hours, his complexion had grown greyer, the eye sockets taking on a sunken look, and his breath sounded like a hollow hitch in his chest.  However, when he opened his eyes at long last, Sephiroth breathed a sigh of relief, seeing a faint flicker of the old spark in his eyes.

“You’re looking a bit better, old friend,” Angeal murmured, lying easily.  Genesis, of course, saw right through it.

“I _know_ you’re lying, Angeal,” Genesis remarked flatly, a smirk working the corners of his mouth.  “Because I’m well aware that I look dreadful.  There’s no need to be polite about it. “He forced himself to sit upright, grunting a bit from the effort, feeling rather self-conscious at being seen in such a weak state.  Genesis rolled his eyes skyward and stared at Sephiroth, whose normally impassive expression seemed somewhat glum.

“Why the long face, my friend?”  Genesis inquired softly.  His ruddy brows drew together as he studied Sephiroth’s face, trying to gauge his mood.  “Sure, I’m a bit under the weather, but there’s no need to worry, not really – “

“Now who’s the one lying, Genesis, hm?”  Sephiroth cocked an eyebrow knowingly at Genesis.  He half-sat on the edge of the bed, sitting as close as he could to Genesis without crowding him.  “You’ve not been well since your injury – “

“And I _told_ you, it was only a flesh wound,” Genesis retorted darkly.  “There are just some – complications going on, with the healing.  I’m – “

He felt his voice about to break, then caught it, quickly recovering. 

“Well, friends,”  Genesis went on, exhaling deeply.   “The truth of it is, I’m _degrading_.”  He laughed sharply, lightly touching the silvery-auburn strands of hair that highlighted his temples.  “Looks rather distinguishing, don’t you think?”

“Degrading?  What does that even mean?”  Angeal blurted, clearly not seeing very much humor in the situation whatsoever.

“Damned if I know,”  Genesis shot back.  “That’s the term Professor Hollander used.  He said there’s no known cure,”  he added, already anticipating their next question.

“ _But_ ,”  Genesis continued.  “That doesn’t mean there won’t be a cure discovered at some point in the future.   I just have to live long enough to see that day.  And I _will_.”

_I hope you’re right,_ Angeal thought, but merely nodded and murmured his agreement. 

“Yes, you _will_ ,”  Sephiroth replied firmly.  Genesis sighed in mock-frustration, then smiled.

“Splendid.  Now….could you two do me a favor?  Get me _out_ of here, and get me something edible. The food here is terrible.” 

 

 

 

 

 

 


End file.
